Bag dispensing and opening apparatus

ABSTRACT

AN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING AND OPENING SQUARE BOTTOM BAGS HAVING TIN TIE CLOSURES WHICH COMPRISES AN OIPEN TOP, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR MAGAZINE FORMING FRAME OF A SIZE TO SUPPORT A STACK OF THE COLLAPSED BAGS IN GENERALLY UPRIGHT POSITION WITH THE BOTTOM EDGES RESTING ON THE TOP RUN OF A BELT CONVEYOR IN THE FORWARDLY SLOPING BOTTOM OF THE FRAME, WHICH CONVEYOR IS OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY IN RESPONSE TO CHANGE IN PRESSURE AT THE FRONT OF THE STACK WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE FOREMOST BAG OPENS AND MOVES PAST STOP MEMBERS IN THE BOTTOM OF A DISCHARGE OPENING IN THE UPRIGHT FORWARDLY INCLINED FRONT WALL OF THE FRAME SO AS TO URGE THE BAGS TOWARD THE DISCHARGE OPENING, THE FOREMOST BAG IN THE STACK BEING INITIALLY HELD BY STOP MEMBERS AND RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICES WHICH ENGAGE BENEATH LATERALLY PROJECTING END PORTIONS OF THE TIN TIE STRIP WHILE AN AIR NOZZLE IS ACTUATED TO DIRECT A BLAST OF AIR DOWNWARDLY ALONG A CURVED GUIDE PLATE AND INTO THE MOUTH OF THE BAG SO AS TO BLOW OPEN THE BAG WHICH RELEASES THE BOTTOM AND PERMITS THE BAG TO SWING FORWARDLY TO A VERTICAL POSITION FOR FILLING, WITH THE TIN TIE SERVING AS A PIVOT SUPPORT. A FOOT SWITCH CONTROLS THE OPERATION OF THE AIR NOZZLE AND A MEANS CONNECTED TO THE TIN TIE END LOCKING DEVICES FOR UNLOCKING THE SAME AND RELEASING THE BAG, PERMITTING IT TO DROP FREE OF THE FRAME, WHEREUPON THE NEXT BAG IN THE STACK IS OPENED UP AUTOMATICALLY BY A SUCCEEDING BLAST OF AIR AND SWEINGS TO POSITION FOR FILLING.

Sept. 20, 1971 1'. E. PIAZZE 3,605,383

BAG DISPENSING AND OPENING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 N INVENTOR THOMAS E. PIAZZE ATT'YS.

Sept. 20, 1971 T. E. PIAZZE A 3,605,383

BAG DISPENSING AND OPENING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M INVENTOR THOMAS E. PIAZZE ATT' Sept. 20, 1971 T. E. PIAZZE 3,605,383

BAG DISPENSING AND OPENING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1970 3 SheetsSheet 3 8 INVENTOR THOMAS PIA ZZE BQMQWQ ATT'YS.

United States Patent ()1 fice 3,605,383 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 3,605,383 BAG DISPENSING AND OPENING APPARATUS Thomas E. Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y. Filed Jan. 5, 1970, Ser. No. 519 Int. Cl. B65b 43/36 U.S. Cl. 53-385 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closures which comprises an open top, generally rectangular magazine forming frame of a size to support a stack of the collapsed bags in generally up right position with the bottom edges resting on the top run of a belt conveyor in the forwardly sloping bottom of the frame, which conveyor is operated intermittently in response to change in pressure at the front of the stack when the bottom of the foremost bag opens and moves past stop members in the bottom of a discharge opening in the upright forwardly inclined front wall of the frame so as to urge the bags toward the discharge opening, the foremost bag in the stack being initially held by stop members and releasable locking devices which engage beneath laterally projecting end portions of the tin tie strip while an air nozzle is actuated to direct a blast of air downwardly along a curved guide plate and into the mouth of the bag so as to blow open the bag which releases the bottom and permits the bag to swing forwardly to a vertical position for filling, with the tin tie serving as a pivot support. A foot switch controls the operation of the air nozzle and a means connected to the tin tie end locking devices for unlocking the same and releasing the bag, permit-ting it to drop free of the frame, whereupon the next bag in the stack is opened up automatically by a succeeding blast of air and swings to position for filling.

This invention relates to packaging methods and apparatus and is more particularly concerned with improvements in an apparatus for dispensing and opening collapsed flat or square bottom bags of the type which are provided with tin tie strips as part of the means for effectively closing the tops thereof when the bags are filled.

Bags of the square or flat bottom style or type are produced from paper and similar flexible sheet materials in great quantities for packaging a large variety of products. When used for some products, such as, bakery products, fruit and other produce, sugar and the like, bags of this type are very often provided with tin tie closure strips which enable the bags to be easily closed by rolling down the collapsed bag mouth and bending in the projecting ends of the associated tin tie strip while at the same time permitting ready re-opening without destruction of the tie strip which may again be used for reclosing of the bag. While this type bag has had widespread use it has certain disadvantages in that it does not lend itself to high speed operations and most often the slow speed with which it can be handled limits the output of the packaging line or operation in which it is used. It is a general object of the invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus which enables bags of this type to be dispensed from a stack in which they are collapsed and opened for filling in a convenient manner and at a faster rate than when opened by hand or by other dispensing or bag feeding apparatus heretofore provided.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing square bottom bags which have tin tie closure strips from the end of a stack in which they are disposed in collapsed relation and for opening up successive bags in a positive manner so that each bag may be held in a position to be filled with the desired product and thereafter automatically freed from the dispensing apparatus so as to enable the next succeeding bag in the stack to be opened up and positioned for filling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for dispensing and opening up successive square bottom bags of the type which have tin tie closure strips wherein the bags in collapsed condition are stacked on the bottom ends thereof in a magazine having a bottom floor which slopes downwardly and forwardly toward an upright forwardly inclined front wall in which there is a discharge opening and associated means for suspending the leading bag in the stack by engaging projecting ends of the tin tie strip while the bag is opened up and freed from the stack at the bottom by a blast of air directed into the mouth of the bag, after which the suspending means is withdrawn to allow the bag to drop free of the magazine.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bag dispensing and opening apparatus for square bottom bags having tin tie closures wherein a magazine is provided for receiving a stack of the bags in collapsed upright condition, with a dispensing opening and associated support means for engaging beneath the extended ends of the tin tie closure of the leading bag so as to suspend the same while a blast of air is directed between the front and back walls of the leading bag to open up the bag and free the same for discharge from the magazine when the support means is withdrawn from beneatth the ends of the tin tie closure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bag dispensing and opening apparatus wherein a stack of the bags in upright position is urged toward a discharge opening in the forward wall of a dispensing magazine by power driven means which is actuated by a pres sure sensing device which is responsive to a change in the forward pressure exerted by the stack when the leading bag in the stack is withdrawn so that as successive bags are removed the next succeeding bags are urged toward the discharge opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bag dispensing and opening apparatus for square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips which is characterized by a magazine for receiving a stack of the bags in collapsed condition which has an upright forwardly inclined front wall with a discharge opening therein, a power driven means for urging the bags toward the discharge opening which is actuated by a sensing device responsive to change in the forward pressure of the leading bags in the stack, a releasable means for engaging the extended ends of the tin tie closure strip on the leading bag so as to temporarily hold the same in suspended relation for filling upon actuation of an air nozzle which is arranged to direct a blast of air into the mouth of the leading bag so as to open the bag and free the bottom thereof from the mag azine.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention are shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view illustrating a packaging line which includes a bag dispensing and opening apparatus embodying the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a square bottom bag having a tin tie closure, the bag being shown in the opened up condition;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the bag dispensing and opening apparatus shown in FIG. 1, to a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the dispensing and opening apparatus shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view with portions broken away, of the dispensing and opening apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the view being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 3, to a larger scale and with portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3, to a larger scale;

FIG. 8 is a horizonal sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 3, to a larger scale; and

FIG. 9 is a largely schematic view illustrating the electrical controls for operating the apparatus.

Referring first to FIG. 2, there is illustrated in opened up condition a square bottom or rectangular bottom bag 10 of the type which is adapted to be used in the practice of the present invention. The bag 10, in the position illustrated, having front and back side walls 11 and 12, in folding end or side walls 13 and 14 extending between the corner forming edges of the front and back walls 11 and 12 and a bottom wall 15 connecting the bottom corner forming edges of the four side walls. A tin tie closure strip 16 is secured to the top margin of the back wall 12 which is in the plane of the back wall 12 and which is of sufficient length to provide end extensions 17 and 17 The bottom wall 15 is formed so that in the collapsed or flattended condition of the bag, as shown in FIG. 3, it lies folded into the plane of the collapsed front and back walls on a hinge line coinciding with the bottom edge of the back side wall 12. The bottom wall 15 automatically hinges into a plane normal to the front and back walls 11 and 12 when these walls are spread apart to fully open position as shown in FIG. 2.

For the purpose of illustration, the apparatus for dispensing and opening the bags 10 is shown at 20 in FIG. 1 installed in a manual packaging line for bakery products, for example, doughnuts which are advanced on the conveyor run 21 to an operator at 22 who is normally stationed in front of the bag dispensing and opening apparatus 20 in position for manually loading the desired number of doughnuts into each bag 10 when it is opened up and held at the front of the dispensing apparatus 20. When the bag 10 is loaded with the desired number or weight of doughnuts the operator actuates a mechanism to release the filled bag which drops onto the conveyor 21 and is advanced to a top closing operator at 23. The apparatus 20 may, of course, be employed in other packaging operations or systems where the square bottom bag with the tin tie closure is the desired container for the product being packaged.

The bag dispensing and opening apparatus 20 (FIGS. 3 to 8) comprises a magazine forming frame having a bottom wall or floor forming plate 2.4 which extends between a pair of parallel, vertically disposed bottom side plates and 25'. The floor plate 24 is disposed at an angle to the horizontal bottom edge of the side plates 25 and 25' so that it slopes downwardly and forwardly toward a front frame assembly 26, the forward face of which is in a plane normal to the plane of the floor plate 24. The frame assembly 26 comprises side frame members 27 and 27 which extend in upright, forwardly 4 inclined relation from the forward ends of the side plates 25 and 25. The side frame members 27 and 27 are connected at the top thereof by a cross plate 28 on the front of which there is mounted a curved guide plate 30 for directing air into the mouth of the foremost bag in the supply stack, the latter being indicated at 31 in FIG. 4. The air guide plate 30 is curved about a vertical axis as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 with its lower end terminating at the top of the opening 32 in the frame assembly 26 through which the bags are discharged. Side guide bars .33 and 33' are adjustably mounted on a pair of parallel, spaced cross bars 34 which extend between upstanding rear extensions 35 and 35'. The side guide bars 33 and 33 carry at their forward ends small stop plates 36 and 36 which extend inwardly and for a slight distance into the path of side portions of the bags as they are urged forwardly in the stack 31. A front plate 37 extends between the side plates 25 and 25' in the plane of the front frame assembly 26 along the top edge of which there is a pair of stop members 38 and 38' which extend a short distance above the plane of the floor plate 24 into the path of the bags and normally limit the forward movement of the bottom portions of the bags in the stack 31. The front plate 37 is mounted on rock shaft 39 which extends between the side plates 25 and 25 and forms part of the control for operating belts 40 and 40 as hereinafter described. The belts 40 and 40 are mounted in laterally spaced relation on rear and front pulleys 41, 41 and 42, 42', the latter being idler pulleys mounted on short shafts 43, 43, extending from the side plates 25 and 25'. The pulleys 41 are mounted on a cross shaft 44 at the rear end of the frame on which there is mounted a sprocket 45 connected by the chain 46 with the output sprocket 47 on a drive motor 48 suitably mounted beneath the floor plate 24 as shown in FIG. 4. The top run of each of the conveyor belts 40 and 40' rides on the top face of the floor plate 24 so that these belts engage the bottom edges of the collapsed bags in the stack 31 and are operated to urge the stack forwardly towards the discharge opening 32 in the front frame 26 when driven by the motor 48. The forward end of plate 24 is notched out at 49 and 49' to accommodate the conveyor belts 40 and 40. The drive motor 48 for the belts 40 and 40' is controlled by a switch 50 mounted at the forward end of the frame which is normally closed. A switch actuating arm member 51 is mounted on the rock shaft 39 which carries the front stop plate 37 for operating the normally closed switch 50 according to the movement of the stop plate 37. When the stop plate 37 is moved forward a predetermined distance by pressure at the forward end of the stack 31 the motor circuit is interrupted. When the pressure is relieved by withdrawal of the bottom portion of the foremost bag in the stack and the stop plate 37 swings rearwardly, the switch 50 is opened to operate the belts 40 and 40 so as to urge the stack 31 forwardly.

At the top of the discharge opening a stop finger 55 is mounted on the air guide plate 30 so that the lowermost end extends into the path of the top margin of the bags. A pair of angular stop fingers 56 and 56' are mounted on the lower edge of the cross plate 28 so as to extend into the path of the tin tie strip 16 at opposite ends of the latter. The tie stop members 56 and 56' have associated releasable plate-like locking members 57 and 57' which are carried on the free ends of arms 58 and 58, the latter extending from the rock shaft 60. The shaft 60 is mounted in bearing forming brackets 61 and 61 extending from the top cross plate 28. The rock shaft 60 carries a rock arm 62 with its free end connected to the end of the piston 63 of an operating air cylinder 64 which is carried on an angular bracket 65 mounted on the top cross plate 28. The locking plates 57 and 57', in one position thereof, extend beneath the opposite ends 17, 17 of the tin tie strips 16 of the leading bags in the stack 31. Rotation of the rock shaft 60 by the air cylinder 64 withdraws the lock plates 57 and 57 so as to release the tin tie strip on the foremost bag and permit the bag suspended thereby to drop free of the frame.

The air nozzle 70 is mounted on a bracket 71 extending upwardly of the cross plate 28 with the end of the nozzle angled, as shown in FIG. 4, relative to the front of the guide plate '30, so as to direct a blast of air toward the mouth of the leading bag in the stack 31. A weight, as indicated at 72, with an upright member 73 may be placed at the rear of the stack to help maintain the rearmost bags in upright position, the weight being urged forwardly by friction upon movement of the belts 40 and 40'.

The control arrangement, illustrated in FIG. 9, for operating the apparatus includes a foot pedal watch 74 and air valves 75 and 76 which control the operation of the bag release arms -8 and 58' and the air nozzle 70, respectively. The valves 75 and 76 are operated by cams 77 and 78 mounted on a cross shaft 79 which has a belt drive connection 80 with a drive motor 81 and includes a single revolution clutch 82. The cam discs 77 and 78 are arranged to operate the valves 75 and 76 in the proper timed sequence to release a previously opened bag and thereafter blow open the next succeeding bag in the stack. The cam discs 77, 78 and the drive therefor may, of course, be mounted between the side frame plates 25, 25' with the switch pedal 74 located at a convenient spot for operation by the user of the equipment.

In operating the apparatus a stack of the collapsed bags 31 is placed upon the table 24 and moved forwardly to bring the foremost bag into the discharge opening 32 where it is stopped by fingers 55, 56, 56', 36, 36' and 38, 38. The operator then actuates the foot pedal 74 which operates the valves 75, 76 to first release the previously filled bag by withdrawal of the fingers 57 and 57' followed by operation of the nozzle 70 to direct a blast of air into the next succeeding bag which is moved forward into the discharge opening. The blast of air from nozzle 70 opens up the foremost bag in the stack and releases the bottom which swings forward so that the bag is suspended as shown in FIG. 4 and positioned for receiving the material to be placed therein. When the bag is filled the operator steps on the switch pedal 74 which releases the filled bag and operates nozzle 70 for opening the next succeeding bag in the stack. The bags are urged forwardly at the bottom by operation of the pressure sensing stop plate 37 which controls the switch 50 so that the stack is urged forward by advance of the belts 40 and 40' until pressure on the plate 37 opens the switch 50 which stops the belts with the foremost bag in position for opening.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closure strip-s attached to the top margin of one side wall, which apparatus comprises a generally rectangular frame disposed with a table-like bottom wall which slopes forwardly and terminates at a forwardly inclined, upstanding front wall with associated means operative to urge a stack of the collapsed bags, which are placed thereon in generally upright position, toward a discharge opening in said front wall, a stop finger at the upper edge of said discharge opening which is positioned to engage the upper margin of the collapsed side Walls of the foremost bag in the stack, releasable holding means for engaging laterally extending ends of the tin tie closure strip on the foremost bag in the stack, and means for directing a blast of air downwardly into the mouth of the foremost bag in the stack to fully open up the same and free the bottom so that the latter will swing forwardly, leaving the open bag thereafter suspended by said releasable holding means.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and said means for urging said bags toward said front wall comprising a power driven conveyor member.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and said means for urging said bags toward said front wall having a power drive and apressure sensing means operative to actuate said power drive in accordance with the pressure exerted on the foremost bag in the stack thereof.

4. An apparatus as set forth. in claim 1 and said means for urging said bags toward said front wall comprising a power driven belt with which the bottom edges of the collapsed bags are engaged, and means for controlling. the advance of said belt which is responsive to a predetermined change in the forward pressure exerted by the foremost bag in the stack thereof.

5. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom type bags having tin tie closure strips attached to the top margin of a side wall, which apparatus comprises a magazine forming frame with a bottom wall which slopes downwardly and forwardly toward an upright forwardly inclined front wall having an opening for discharging successive bags from the front end of a stack of the bags, which are in collapsed condition and which are supported in upright position on the bottom wall, means for urging the stack of bags forwardly as successive bags are withdrawn from the magazine, stop members engaging peripheral edges of the foremost bag in the stack, releasable locking members engaging in supporting relation beneath opposite ends of the tin tie closure strip on the top of the foremost bag in the stack, means for opening the foremost bagin the stack and freeing it from certain of said stop members so that it is suspended in upright position adjacent said discharge opening and means for thereafter operating said locking members to release the bag so that it will drop free of said magazine.

6. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips as set forth in claim 5 and said releasable locking members being mounted on swinging arms which are operative to withdraw the members from beneath the ends of the tin tie strip so as to release the foremost bag and permit it to drop free of the magazine.

7. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips as set forth in claim 5, and said means for opening the foremost bag in the stack comprising an air nozzle disposed to direct a blast of air into the mouth of the foremost bag in the stack thereof and means for supplying air to said nozzle.

8. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips as set forth in claim 7 and a guide plate disposed to direct air from said nozzle into the mouth of the foremost bag in the stack.

9. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom bags having tin tie closure strips as set forth in claim 5 and means for controlling the operation of said bag opening means and said locking members so as to release a previously opened bag and automatically open the next succeeding bag in the stack in timed relation.

10. Apparatus for dispensing and opening square bottom type bags having tin tie closure strips attached to the top margin of a side wall, which apparatus comprises a magazine forming frame having an upwardly and forwardly inclined front wall with a discharge opening therein and a bottom wall which slopes downwardly and forwardly toward said front wall, said frame receiving a stack of the bags which are in collapsed condition and which are supported in upright position on the bottom wall, means for urging the stack of bags forwardly as successive bags are withdrawn through said discharge opening, stop members engaging peripheral edges of the foremost bag in the stack, releasable locking members engaging opposite ends of the tin tie closure strip on the top of the foremost bag in the stack, means for opening the foremost bag in the stack and freeing it from said stop members so that it is suspended in upright position adjacent said discharge opening and means for thereafter actuating said locking members to release the bag so that it will drop free of said magazine.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 and said means for urging said bags toward said discharge opening comprising a power driven belt with which edges of the collapsed bags are engaged, and means for controlling the advance of said belt which is responsive to a predetermined change in the forward pressure exerted by the bag which is foremost in the stack thereof.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 10 and said means for urging said bags toward said discharge opening comprising a power driven member engaging the collapsed bags and means for controlling the operation of said power driven member which is responsive to discharge of successive bags through at least a portion of the discharge opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53-189 

